Don't Leave
by Zoroark3496
Summary: Every morning it was the same routine: get up at 5, twenty minutes at the bag, thirty minutes with the weights, two hours of cardio, and an hour of weapons training. He tried the same routine with the cadets and while they certainly complained less, Skye was the only who showed any improvement as the days went on. Ward saw her get stronger, faster, smarter about her attack styles.


Don't Leave

If anyone would've told Ward that he'd be working his ass off trying to train a hacker in field ops, he would've slapped them, or killed them. He didn't do _teaching. _A couple of deans at the Operations Academy had asked him to do a couple of short sessions with some of the cadets and both times he thought he might snap and just kill one of them.

Teaching was different with her though, with Skye there was the want to keep her safe and that meant that she'd have to know how to defend herself when he inevitably left for another assignment and the Team got a mission while he was away.

Every morning it was the same routine: get up at 5, twenty minutes at the bag, thirty minutes with the weights, two hours of cardio, and an hour of weapons training. He tried the same routine with the cadets and while they certainly complained less, Skye was the only who showed any improvement as the days went on. Ward saw her get stronger, faster, smarter about her attack styles, and learning how to use different calibers of weaponry.

After Skye actually manages to best him in a sparring match, she dances like a little schoolgirl who just won the pageant. While she was shouting profanities and "I did it! I beat the Robot!" Ward was smirking for one of the few times in his life.

"You didn't hit the ground too hard did ya?" Skye asked with a knowing smile on her face.

"No, why do you ask?" Ward replied.

"Because you're smiling, hope I didn't fry your programming." Skye sassed before she picked her water bottle up from the bench.

"Ward, I need to see you in my office. You have twenty minutes." Coulson called from the top of the staircase.

"Somebody's in trouble…" Skye sang with a face full of mirth.

"If anyone on this plane gets in trouble, it's you." Ward shot back.

Skye blinked a couple of times before replying. "Did the Robot just make a comeback?"

"No, I made a comment." Ward defended.

"Sure ya did." Skye knowingly said.

Ward stammered a little bit before he shrugged and walked out of the Cargo Hold to the shower.

Cleaned and curious, Ward knocked on Coulson's office door. He heard the muffled reply of "Come in" before he turned the handle.

"You needed to see me, Sir?" Ward greeted casually as he moved to take a seat in front of the Senior Agent's desk.

"The Hub called and they have another mission for you. Nothing too extreme, just some recon and extracting a device from some billionaire's mansion. You shouldn't be gone for more than a couple of days." Coulson explained as he thumbed through a file before handing it to Ward.

"Yes, Sir, I understand. When will I leave?" Ward wasn't too thrilled to be taking on another mission from the Hub, but he knew his place. What the Hub wanted the Hub got.

"Tomorrow morning, so I suggest you start packing." Was Coulson's reply before Ward took his leave from the office with the file tucked under his arm.

Ward walked through the lounge of the bus on the way to his bunk and saw Skye leaning against the bar with her arms crossed. Ward thought she looked upset with the vacant look in her eyes.

"Skye, is everything OK?" Ward asked tentatively as he stepped closer to her.

Skye was brought out of her revere when she blinked and looked up at him. She opened and closed her mouth a few times before finally managing an "I'm fine," before slinking off towards her bunk with her shoulders slumped and her head hung low.

Ward watched her leave, a part of him wanted to check on her but he knew he needed to pack and review the mission file before tomorrow morning. _She's fine, it's nothing to worry about._ Ward thought blearily before walking into his own bunk.

_There's no way that she heard about the mission. Coulson's office is soundproofed. _Ward grabbed a duffel from above his bed and started packing a few days' worth of clothing and toiletries.

His mind plagued him. _Could Skye have heard about the mission? Could that be why she looked upset? Why would me going on a mission make her upset?_

A knock on his door brought Ward out of his thoughts. He opened it and was greeted with a depressed looking Skye.

"Something wrong?" He asked tentatively.

"I heard what you and AC were talking about." Skye chose that moment to find the floor particularly interesting.

"Yeah, I have a small assignment. I shouldn't be gone for more than a few days." Was she worried about him? It's not like this is his first mission, far from it.

"This won't be like the last time the Hub called you in, will it?" Skye asked like a small child.

Ward's eyes widened slightly at the realization. The last time Skye saw him take an assignment from the Hub he was a sacrificial lamb. He hadn't known the hacker long, but he knew she valued human life more than the upper brass of S.H.I.E.L.D. did.

"No, it won't. I have an extraction plan, and the terrain should be easier than a Russian warzone." Ward tried to reassure her.

Skye simply nodded and started tugging at the wraps on her hands. Without warning she wrapped her arms around his middle and hugged him like she was saying goodbye.

"Be careful, okay?" She mumbled against his chest. Ward wrapped his own arms around her shoulders and tucked her head under his chin. He rubbed his hand across her back in what he hoped was a soothing pattern.

"That depends, if I'm careful will you stay out of trouble?" Ward attempted to joke.

The joke must've worked because he heard a small chuckle leave Skye as she squeezed herself tighter against his front.

"I'm serious," She raised her head from his chest and looked him in the eye. "Don't do anything reckless I could-"She lowered her eyes from his vision. "I don't want to have to find another SO."

Ward released himself from her grasp and she looked crestfallen. He reached inside his closet and pulled out an old hoodie.

"This hoodie was a gift from my grandmother after I graduated Operations." Ward said as he slipped the large hoodie onto Skye's head and pulled it down her torso. "I plan to come back for it."

Skye had a small smile on her face as she tugged the sleeves around her arms. They hung several inches too long and the hoodie resembled more of a thick gown than a jacket for her. She pulled him into a hug again.

"You better keep your word." She whispered before she lifted herself up and planted a kiss on his cheek.

Skye left him with a slightly dazed look on his face. Ward resumed packing while she slumped off to her bunk.

Skye closed the door and sat down on her bed. She toyed with the sleeves of the hoodie before pressing one against her face and breathing in his scent.

This crush was inappropriate at best. Ward would probably lose his job over this and she couldn't do that to him. He must've reciprocated some of the feelings though, why else would he give her something his grandmother gave him?

_Maybe it's just a way of appeasing me so I leave him alone to work. _Skye thought bitterly. It was how it's always been. Whenever she would be rowdy at the orphanage one of the nuns would give her a doll and send her to a room. If she got insubordinate with AC he gave her something to hack or a shoulder to cry on. Ward's playing the "caring guy" card to get her to leave him be. He's a specialist and he doesn't need anyone worrying about him.

It wasn't that simple though, she couldn't stop caring. She's had other crushes, but most of them were based off of looks or personality. Her SO was hot, yes, but his personality left a lot to be desired.

Skye closed her eyes and breathed in Ward's scent of the hoodie before laying down. She clutched the sleeves to her chest and curled into herself.

_Don't die. Please don't die. _She thought before she heard a soft knock on her door.

Skye sniffled slightly and rose to open the door before she stopped suddenly. She looked down at the hoodie and thought it would be best to take it off before Coulson or May saw her wearing Ward's hoodie.

She balled it up and hid it behind the pillow on her bunk. Skye slid open the door of her bunk and saw Simmons standing there.

"Hey Simmons, what's up?" Skye spoke as casually as she could. She didn't trust her voice to keep steady.

"Fitz and I were just wondering if you wanted to watch a movie with us out in the lounge." Simmons spoke quickly with her thick British accent.

"Uh, yeah, just give me a minute and I'll meet you there." Skye replied.

"Okay, we're watching _Snowpiercer _by the way." Simmons spoke over her shoulder as she walked back to the lounge area was Fitz was waiting with a giant bowl of popcorn.

Skye closed her bunk door and went back to the pillow. She pulled Ward's hoodie back over her head and she felt a smile ease its way onto her face when his scent filled her senses. Skye forced her expression to one a little less puppy dog eyed and went to join Fitzsimmons in the lounge to watch the movie.

Simmons raised her eyebrows at seeing Skye wearing the oversized hoodie but refrained from saying anything. Fitz was too engrossed in the film and the popcorn to notice it though.

He said he'd be back in a few days! It's been a week! Skye huffed and poured herself another drink. Ward was supposed to be back two days ago.

His hoodie was starting to lose his scent and Skye was getting more unhinged by the day. She wore it at all times. The sleeves still hung far too long down her arms but she didn't care.

Skye downed her drink, the bourbon burning her throat on the way down. Simmons would try a couple times a day to get Skye to do something other than play on her laptop and wait for Ward to turn up.

"He'll be back soon, Skye. He's a specialist, he's going to be on missions that take a little longer than expected sometimes." She spoke in her soft British voice.

"Yes, but last time the Hub sent Ward on a mission that didn't go according to plan, he was in Russia with no extraction plan!" Skye yelled with more malice than she intended to at the scientist.

"I'm sorry." Skye apologized. "I just, I-"

"I know, Skye. I know." Simmons wore a small smile that told Skye she understood what was going on. She missed Ward and Skye wasn't going to sleep all that well until he was back on the plane where he was safe.

Skye hadn't slept more than a couple fitful hours every night since Ward left. She would wake up with a sweat but it wasn't because the hoodie was making her warm. She would have nightmares that always ended the same way: Ward got killed on the mission and her next SO was a total dick who didn't give a shit about her.

Skye was brought out of her self-depression by her phone buzzing. Her eyes lit up when she saw the message.

/_WARD'S HERE./_

The mission was supposed to be simple. He was told it was simple! Get in, get the information, and get out. Why did there have to be a bunch of guards in that corner of the estate? Oh yeah, because that's where the files were.

Ward winced when the cut along his brow started stinging again. The medic in the jump jet gave him some antiseptic and a couple of bandages but nothing that was supposed to guard against the pain. Simmons wasn't going to be happy with him.

Ward pulled the SUV onto the ramp of the BUS and heard the clamps lock around the tires. He opened the door and stepped out. Ward grabbed his duffel bag from the backseat and slung it over his shoulder. He winced when he felt the bag thud against his sore back.

Ward walked into the lab and dropped his duffel on the floor. "Simmons, would you mind?" He asked pointing to the poorly bandaged cut on his head.

"Oh my God, sit down." Simmons went straight into doctor mode.

Ward sat down on the bench next to the table and let Simmons mill about her duties to get him cleaned up better than the medic on the jump jet did. He hissed when Simmons rubbed an alcohol swab against the cut to clean it but bit it down quickly.

Simmons placed a layer of gauze on the cut and secured it with a couple pieces of clear tape.

"Is there anything else?" Simmons asked sweetly.

"My shoulder's bruised and my feet are killing but that could easily be from tackling a guard through a door and running seven miles with a few guns going off behind me." Ward tried to joke but his face was as serious as ever.

"A good night's sleep should take care of most of that." Simmons reasoned and went to put up the alcohol and the gauze back in the cabinets.

Ward was caught off guard and almost fell out of the bench. Skye had run down the stairs as fast as her feet could carry her. She tackled Ward with the hug and crushed her body to her his.

"You're back." Skye spoke softly as she buried her head in the crook of his neck.

"Yeah," Ward replied stiffly as he tentatively wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"Skye, honey, loosen your grip, Ward's shoulder isn't in the best shape right now." Simmons spoke calmly like she was talking to an infant.

Skye released herself from Ward and slapped him across the shoulder as hard as she could.

"You said it was simple!" Skye scolded.

"I thought it was." Ward replied rubbing his sore shoulder.

Skye huffed and stormed out of the lab. Ward watched her disappear as she ascended the staircase.

"Don't mind her, she hasn't been okay since you left." Simmons tried to excuse Skye's behavior.

"What do you mean?" Ward asked dumbstruck that anyone was actually missing him.

"She likes you dumbass!" Fitz spoke up.

"What?" Ward asked getting irritated at the scientists not giving him a straight answer.

"She likes you, a lot." Simmons spoke as though that was the most normal thing she had ever said.

"I doubt that." Ward refused.

"She's been wearing that hoodie since you gave it to her and at night we hear her muttering about between the bar and your bunk." Ward was slack jawed at hearing Fitz's story. No one's ever missed him before. They've complained about the work they've had to do in his absence but no one's ever _missed _him before.

"I'll go talk to her." Ward said finally as he stood from the barstool and made his way to the bar. He had a feeling she would be needing a drink right about now.

Ward was disappointed for being right when he saw Skye slouching at the bar with half empty bottle to her side and a glass in her hand.

"You wouldn't mind any company would you?" Ward spoke casually as he grabbed a glass from behind the counter and poured himself a helping of the bourbon.

"No, how'd the mission go?" Skye asked timidly. _He still wants to talk to me after that?_

"I can't give you all the details but suffice it to say I'm not going to be invited back anytime soon." Ward replied as he sat in a stool and took a sip of the drink. The liquid burned down his throat and made a pool in his stomach that he would've loved to have had in the mansion when dealing with all of those 1% people.

"You didn't get hurt too bad, did you?" Skye still felt bad for jumping on him without warning. She was just glad he was back in one piece and Simmons didn't tell her if he was really hurt or not.

"Nah, it's all superficial. I'm still good for training you in the morning." Ward promised.

"Really?" Skye hoped she didn't sound too clingy, but dammit she missed her robot!

"Yeah," Ward said as he placed his glass on the bar and reached across for the fabric of his hoodie. He gently tugged on the sleeve and Skye got up and stepped closer to him.

Ward wrapped his arms around her middle and sat her down on his lap. Skye was caught off guard but her tired body automatically slumped into his with her head falling onto his chest.

"What are you doing?" She asked quietly.

"I heard you haven't been sleeping well this week." Ward said sheepishly. Maybe Fitzsimmons were screwing with him and he was making a mistake.

Skye nods against his chest and her eyes flutter shut at the rise and fall of his breathing. It was soothing her frayed nerves and the exhaustion from the past week was creeping up on her fast.

"Can we lie down?" Skye asked sleepily.

"Sure," Ward replied. He stood from the barstool and walked the sort distance to his bunk. He slid open the cracked door with his foot and walked in.

His bunk was a mess. The sheets were strewn haphazardly on the bed and at least three of his shirts were missing from his closet. Normally Ward would chastise Skye for this but he was too tired to care. The mission left a deep weariness in his bones and the minute he laid down on the bed he felt himself drifting off.

Skye grabbed the comforter from the floor and pulled it over her and Ward's bodies. She felt Ward's arms tighten around her and she snuggled into his chest.

"Don't leave again, please." Skye silently pleaded. She didn't want to sound like a clingy girlfriend but she didn't want him to leave again.

"I'm not going anywhere, now go to sleep." Ward assured her as he fisted her hair and pulled her into his chest.

Skye slept peacefully for the first time in years _and _all night for the first time in a week.


End file.
